The Broken Dragon
by The70boss302
Summary: Toothless has been living the dream ever since he bonded with Hiccup, unfortunately for dragons, nightmares seem to be the only type of dream that he can have. The Night Fury knows his life is not the problem, just experiencing the reality of it.


AN: Hello! It has been an incredibly long time since I have made a post on Fan-fiction, but I recently got some motivation and really wanted to share this idea that I have been working on.

First things first, I do **NOT** own any part of How to train your dragon.

I realize that many of my followers will probably be upset with me for not updating one of my other stories before posting this one, but this particular story has been aching me to be released. This story is told entirely from Toothless' point of view. The basic idea came from a short section in _Only Mine_ by, Star-Struck Inu and parts of _The Real Hero_ by, SnowFlower Frost. If you have read either of those incredible stories and enjoyed them, then you may find this story to be enjoyable. Otherwise, I hope that you can find it pleasing anyway.

FYI: The characters may seem a bit out of character, but I assure you that it will be explained by the end. This story begins around the time in which the Viking teens were taking timed laps around Berk during the Riders of Berk series. Also, I am rating this story K+ beacuse of a seen that has a little bit of violence, but other than that it should be fine for everyone. If requested I will change to T.

Thanks for giving this story a try, I give you:

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The Broken Dragon

Times, Dreams, and Realizations

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"Two minutes and…." Fishlegs paused to add emphasis to the situation. He knew the time, he knew what it meant, and he knew who had won. The impatient teens all gathered around as Fishlegs' smile grew ever wider, withholding the coveted information as long as he could.

To be honest, I wasn't that concerned. Even _if_ I had been beat, it meant nothing. I knew that I was still the fastest, being limited only by advancements in design. The time, as well as logic, was simply stating that a dragon and rider team that had been handicapped could be beat by another that was in perfect form.

I wasn't worried. If I still had the remains that I was originally born with, that is, my missing tailfin, there would be no competition at all. The Night Fury was the fastest dragon of all the land, sea, and air; it was an undisputable fact. For some reason though, all the teens always thought it would be a great idea to find out who was the fastest amongst themselves.

I'm never opposed to a little competition, but I wasn't one to let it stand for anything. My fellow dragons felt the same way. Stormfly, Meatlug, Hookfang, Barf, Belch, and every other dragon knew that the outcome of our little races, while fun, were pointless. A Gronckle was the slowest of the dragons, a Hideous Zippleback was simply not as agile as a Monstrous Nightmare, and a Deadly Nadder was not as quick as a Night Fury. It was something that we all knew and all accepted, but because of our affection for our humans, we complied.

Even if the results were not in my favor, they were completely skewed. My closest rival, The Nadder, had been fed a substance for the past three weeks to improve her performance. The humans called it _chicken_ , but we dragons knew it as a food that only Nadders could digest. Somehow, it gave her immense speed over her counterparts. As I said, skewed.

What confuses me most is why all of the teens focused on this time more than any other. There were far too many variables that could come into play in the short race around the island. The wind alone could change ones time by nearly ten seconds. But nonetheless, they had to have a winner, they had to crown a champion. Okay, I'll admit, I was a little worried.

Fishlegs let a small smirk appear on his face as he prepared to release the coveted information. I lifted my ear plates, suddenly craving to know the answer that we were all looking for. I didn't understand why, but I felt that I had to be faster, I _needed_ to be.

"Two-minutes…." The boy drug out the phrase for as long as humanly possible, earning frustrated groans from the rest of the teens. I couldn't help myself any longer, the wait was killing me. I prayed for it to just be over two minutes twenty-six.

"Annnddd…. Twenty-four."

It was then that I finally understood the old proverb; "Broken pride can cause more pain than broken bone". I stared at the ground, mortified. A Night Fury, the fastest dragon to roam the world, beaten in a competition of speed. I knew I was the reason that we failed. I was the hindrance to Hiccup's success. If it wasn't for me being a damaged dragon, we could have won. I would no longer be the best dragon in the eyes of the teens. I would no longer be looked at as the most coveted. Personally, I didn't care about the opinions of the other humans; I cared only for one opinion in particular.

I was proud to see Hiccup as the best. He was the smartest, the wittiest, the cleverest, and he was the only one with his head on straight. He _was_ the best. He saw me as a great dragon, a friend. If he were ever in a time of need, about to fall, cursed with an aching heart, I would be there. If I was in the same scenario I believed he would do the same, as true friendships go both ways. I made it my responsibility to make it so that that he was never in danger. He was always under my protection, whether he knew it or not.

I looked up to the boy knowing full well that he would have been disappointed by my actions. What I observed was as anticipated. The smile he wore while he congratulated Astrid was completely forged. He spoke as if he was happy for her to take over as the fastest dragon rider team, but I knew very well what he felt on the inside.

He looked over to me with a gloomy expression, one that pained me to even see. It only hurt all the more because I knew that I was the root of his problems. I wasn't able to perform at the standards in which he desired. I didn't live up to the name I was born to, the name that I had gained.

Snotlout stammered over to Hiccup giving him a pat on his back, while a bit more harshly than I would have liked. "Well Hiccup, it looks like you're no longer the fastest dragon rider out there." he said with a certain relish.

Hiccup shrugged slightly and rubbed the now aching part on his backside. "Yeah well, I guess it was bound to come sooner or later."

Snotlout rolled his eyes and shook his head, as if assuming my human were less intelligent. "Of course it was coming, we are _all_ coming. Soon, you're going to be behind more than just Astrid also. What did you expect from riding on a _broken dragon_!?"

I quickly looked away in shame. I didn't want him to look at such a failure of a Night Fury. I only wanted the best for him, and currently, I was not. My human deserved so much more, but I couldn't provide, and that felt like an arrow lodged in my back. I slowly started my trek back to the Haddock home. I knew that he would have no wish to go on a flight after such events. I would feel fortunate if he still allowed me in his home after such foul performance. I just prayed that he would not blame himself like he often did.

But my answer would come soon enough.

After many hours of lying helplessly on my cold stone that resided at the foot of my human's bed, the boy trudged his way into the room. Without so much as a glance, he dreadfully made his way over to his workbench and took a seat. He looked exhausted as he rested his head on the palm of his hand. He looked as if he'd spent the last several hours trying to figure out the last piece of his puzzle, only to finish exactly where he started.

I gradually pawed over to him and nudged his arm slightly, a croon escaping my throat. He leaned back in his chair and let his arms fall to his side. He glanced up to me and let out a sigh of exasperation. "Ohh, Toothless, what are we going to do with you?"

I felt my heart fall from my chest to my paws. Was he considering getting rid of me all together? I quickly ran my snout under his palm, letting a resounding purr fill the room. He gave me a forced smile and shrugged. "I don't know Toothless. It seems like we've tried everything. I've gone with different materials, I've swapped the mechanism for immediate position changes, I've even completely changed my flight suit to become more aero-dynamic!... Nothing seems to be making the slightest of difference. The best we've done is gain maybe a half a second here or there, but nothing compared to the ten or fifteen that Astrid and Stormfly have gained."

The boy remained silent as I tried to comfort him. He was the world to me, and if he felt let down, then it was because I let it happen. He looked into my eyes, only for me to warble lowly to him. "I think- …. I think we've made all the enhancements we can with your tail-fin Toothless. I can't think of anything to do that would even make the slightest of difference…. I think- … I think our time in the lead has come to an end…. I guess that's just how it is."

As if on instinct, I let out a whine of despair. I didn't want him thinking that there was no hope, but there was nothing I could do. I was simply outmatched and helpless. It was simply all the _broken dragon_ could give.

It felt like an eternity while I watched Hiccup rummage through all of his blueprints of the tail, attempting to find a solution. Occasionally he would abruptly shift himself as if he had found the answer, only to slouch back in his chair knowing that it wouldn't work. Nothing pained me more than to watch _my_ Hiccup defeated, unable to solve the problem that was _me_. A boy that was known for finding the answers to questions never even asked, a boy that could fix the complications that were deemed not worth it.

Even while being so brilliant, he wasn't known for gloating or identifying himself as the best dragon rider, even if he was, but I knew that he cherished every second. He loved being at the top, especially after being at the bottom for so long. After everything he went through, he deserved to be at the top, he _deserved_ to have a little respect and honor. It was just unfortunate that I wouldn't be able to give it to him.

But even after relentlessly trying to find the answer, he found no solution. It seemed to settle within him that I would never reclaim the top spot as fastest dragon. He let out an exasperated sigh and walked over to his bed, ready to get the day over with and move on to the next. He looked up to me with saddened eyes and attempted to give me a pained half-smile. "Well Toothless, I think it's time we call it a night."

I couldn't move from where I stood, I desperately wanted him to see that I was there for him. I didn't want him thinking that I was simply another face in his world, not caring about his problems. He looked up at me once more just as he was lying down, not understanding why I wasn't curling up on my stone slab. "Oh Toothless, I just wish that for once you could understand me, I just wish that I could know that what I say to you actually got through."

I let out another cry, trying unsuccessfully to answer his question for him. He laid his head back and gestured over to my resting place. "Go to bed Toothless, I don't want to go flying right now."

I let out a slow purr to my human and slowly walked back to heat my bed. Even as I lay down to rest, sleep eluded me. I simply watched my human toss and turn while he as well couldn't find peace in his dreams.

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When I woke up it had only felt like seconds had passed, but I knew that it had been long enough for my entire world to change. It was odd, it felt like just minutes before I was resting at my human's side, watching him try to find a solution to our problem, well, _my_ problem. I knew all too well that far too much time had passed since then. When I finally opened my eyes, Hiccup was already gone from the house, he had already gone off to start his day without me; a theme that, sadly, did not stop.

It was starting to happen more frequently, ever since the day that I had lost to the Nadder, Hiccup was spending less and less time with me. If I had been a wild dragon, only seeing my human from a distance or going for a short flight now and then, I would have had no problem with this. The problem was that I had grown close to the boy. I felt his care and affection, I felt his pride and loyalty towards me. I was becoming attached to the boy; I wanted to spend every waking moment with him. After spending what I felt as the greatest portion of my life with Hiccup, it felt like a knife slowly being pulled from my heart each time he walked away.

There was simply nothing I could do for him. He seemed to be more interested in working in the forge or with the other dragons rather than soaring through the air with me. The few times that we would go for a flight he would be more distracted by trying to find new and undiscovered dragons. It was almost as if he was _searching_ for a replacement.

I just wished that was the only sign about him leaving me. He was beginning to ride the other dragons; he was giving each of them a test drive of their own. This terrified me. Thinking that one day he would go out on another dragon and come back to never face me again. I was afraid, afraid that one day I would wake up and be replaced.

It took more and more courage each day for me to get up and leave the house, fearing that one day I would come back and not be welcome. I was just nervous about what might happen to the relationship that I cherished so much. I wanted to take my human back to the cove where we first bonded, remind him how beautiful the connection we shared was. Unfortunately it was nothing more than a pipe dream.

Reluctantly, I finally ventured out of the house, hoping to find that Hiccup would be willing to fly with me. I walked through the village, seeing familiar people, but not familiar faces. I no longer received the friendly nods or the appreciative waves from the Vikings. I was nothing more than a typical dragon in their eyes, nothing more than Hiccup's pet.

The boy was receiving more and more ridicule from the other teens. They all would keep saying that it was time to _upgrade_ from the broken dragon. They all knew very well that he was the best at training the dragons, but all viewed him as being handicapped, both literally and figuratively. He tried his best not to say anything around me, but little did he know that a dragon's hearing was far superior to a humans. I would never let a few words get between me and my human, but it hurt nonetheless. What hurt the most was that it all seemed true. I knew that every moment he flew with me, I was holding him back, and no matter how hard I tried, I still wouldn't be enough.

I eventually came across the boy whom I had been searching for. He himself seemed to be searching for something, looking around corners of the houses and underneath. His eyes finally settled upon me, a smile growing across his face. His eyes seemed to brighten as he got down to his knees and patted them excitedly. "There he is! I've been looking all over for you!"

My heart started racing. He was _actually_ excited to see me again! I lowered myself towards the ground, shaking my rear end as an energetic little puppy. I bounded towards the teen, watching as his expression only filled with more joy the closer I got to him. Hiccup chuckled slightly to himself as he watched me approach. "That's it boy, just a little more!"

I picked up the pace as I closed the gap, only to force my paws into the ground just before I reached him. I came sliding to a stop just a few feet before my human. My tongue was hanging out as I prepared to give the boy a massive lick across his face, but I was interrupted by a small mass running under my feet.

I looked down to see a small dragon, one that couldn't have been more than a few months of age, bump his way in front of me and into my humans awaiting arms. I watched as Hiccup graciously picked up the young Dashwing and held him high above his head, simulating the flying experience for the dragon who couldn't quite hold his own weight in the air yet.

I was completely frozen, the situation almost surreal. Was this really happening? Did I just get wholly rejected by the human whom I cherished? I looked around at the other villagers standing nearby, each of them smiling down at the boy and his young dragon that were now rolling in the grass just before me.

My tail hit the ground with a thud, my wings drooping to my sides as the realization hit me; I _was_ being replaced. As much as I hated to believe it, it was happening. I simply wasn't enough. Hiccup was training a new dragon, but not just for the village, _for himself._

I turned on my heels, heading away from the town square. Hiccup must have heard my tail as it slid across the ground. "Oh, hey Toothless, decided to finally get out of bed today?"

I quickly turned my head, eager for his attention. Hiccup simply gave me a smirk, not showing the compassion that I craved. "Well it's about time, my little buddy over here was waiting to meet his older brother."

I turned myself to greet the small dragon. It made sense for Hiccup to choose the Dashwing, while not being able to keep speed up for a long distance, it was able to make short bursts that rivaled the Night Furies. He would be able to win the dragon races on the Dashwing; he would once again be at the top of the leaderboard.

The innocent little dragon looked up to me, barking in excitement. I gave him a forced smile, I didn't want Hiccup to be let down while training his new dragon. I brought my head down to the youngling's level, crooning softly to him. _Don't ever let this human out of your sight._

The dragon seemed to question me for a moment, trying to figure out why I would be so protective of a human. I gave him a stern look and nodded, turning to head to the cliff edge. I could hear as Hiccup once again picked up the small dragon and continued to play with him. "Alright Toothless, I'll see you back at the house."

I paused for a moment, glad that he still acknowledged me. I gave a long sigh and nodded, continuing on my path. I went to the cliff side that was adjacent to the bay where all the Viking ships were stored. It was actually quite peaceful of a place. Hiccup and I would spend hours on end watching as the sun would set and the stars above shined brilliantly in the night sky. He would never speak, just simply watched as the horizon faded from a glowing orange to a deep abyss of blackness.

They were some of my favorite moments. I'm not sure if Hiccup ever realized how much I valued our alone time together, but he always seemed to enjoy it along with me. I always made sure to give him an appreciative lick across his face, whether he liked it or not.

I lied down with one paw hanging over the edge, observing as time started to drift by at an astonishing rate. The sun would rise and fall in a matter of seconds. Ships would depart for trade missions and come back as if they never left. I watched as the villagers of Berk went about their daily lives as if they were moving at a hundred miles an hour. Dragons would leave for their daily flights and be back before I could exhale. My eyes darted back and forth, I couldn't figure out why time was simply speeding by. Time finally seemed to slow as the sun came to rest just above the horizon…. many months later.

I lifted my head from my paws, hearing someone approaching from behind. I turned to see a young boy approaching, his dragon waiting several yards back. My tail thumped against the ground instinctively as my human sat down beside me. Hiccup looked out over the cliff edge, sighing as he watched the sunset. "I remember when we used to come out here all the time... I don't know what it was, but I always felt like when we were out here completely secluded from everyone else, I could almost hear what you were thinking. You were always so happy when we would spend some time out here. I always got a face full of saliva just before we would leave."

I gave him a slight toothless smile, remembering all the time that we would spend together. He looked my way and gave a half-hearted smile in return, only to sigh and look down at his feet. My smile fell along with his, knowing that he hadn't simply come up to spend time with me. It had been a half a year since he had come to do such. I knew all too well that had a much more devastating reason for joining me on the cliff edge.

Hiccup fumbled with his hands, trying to find the right words. "I-…" The boy let out another sigh, he didn't want to hurt me, he never wanted to hurt anyone. "I think it's about time we went our separate ways…."

Even though I knew it was coming, it still destroyed my heart to hear him say it. I knew exactly how this conversation would end up, I looked out towards the sunset, inching my head lower and lower. I hit the ground with a low thump, a shaken breath escaping my chest.

Hiccup was my world, he was my everything. I could wake up to his smiling face every day for the rest of my life if I could. It didn't matter to me that he took me flying, or that he would scratch my stomach whenever I plead. The only thing that mattered to me was that he _cared_. His love and affection were what changed my view- _everyone's_ view on the human race. If it wasn't for Hiccup and his curious, but also kind-hearted nature, none of what the dragons called home would have ever existed.

The boy seemed to sit at idle for a moment, still searching for the words. I didn't blame him, he deserved more. I should have made it easier on him and just left after I had lost the race; it would have been better for everyone. I knew then that I needed to stop feeling sorry for myself, and if I really did care about Hiccup then I needed to let him go on without me.

I slowly raised myself to my feet, sighing as I eyed my paws below me. They looked much more appealing than the face of sorrow that I was sure that my human was giving me. I looked up to my human- to Hiccup. I gave him a soft croon licked his cheek slightly, earning a smile in return. _I'll always be there for you._

The boy seemed almost remorseful as my breath blew the hair off his face. My conscious kept yelling for me to leave, to prevent any more harm from being done. I gave in- I couldn't take it anymore. I gradually broke eye contact with him, starting my trek towards the woods, towards my home away from Hiccup.

As I walked away from the boy I paused next my replacement, taking a chance to make sure he could protect his rider. The dragon was strong, he encompassed the power needed to safeguard Hiccup. He was fast, fast enough to outrun any threat that would oppose him. As long as he had the spirit to do whatever needed for his human, his body should have been sufficient. _Don't ever let him out of your site, he is much more important than you could ever comprehend._

The Dashwing gave me a slight nod, showing me that he understood. I sighed yet again and nodded myself. I turned and started to make my way towards the end of town, only stopping once I heard Hiccup calling my name. I didn't bother looking up, I simply waited as the human ran up beside me.

A glint from a piece of metal in the boy's hand caught my eye, peaking my interest. I craned my neck to see the object, my heart dropping a little more as I realized what it was. The boy set to work right away as he attached the metal gear to my fake tailfin. The boy was narrating his work as he attached and mounted the object in place. None of what he said made it to my ears though, just the dull murmurs of his wonderful voice.

He seemed happy with his work as he stood up and gestured to the fin. I lifted my tail and fanned out the adjacent fin, showing the boy that once again, his invention worked as it should. He smiled and looked my way. "Now don't go and destroy this one like last time." I nodded to the boy and turned away. Something suddenly felt off to me, like I was missing something. It then occurred to me, my saddle was missing, along with it the foot pedals and lines that once strung towards my tailfin.

I looked back to where Hiccup was but found him to be already gone, flying away on his dragon companion. He seemed to disappear at an astonishing rate, as if I could never catch him even as a _full_ Night Fury. I turned one last time, taking to the forest and leaving behind my once flawless life. But then I knew, an imperfect dragon was not suitable for a perfect life.

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Time was a valuable substance. It was not something that anyone could make more of, it was not something that could be stretched or mangled. It continued on no matter the occasion or activity. No being was impervious to its effects, no one could escape its all-consuming nature. It's those who underestimate it that are afflicted.

I could not say that I was on times good side. It seemed as if every time I would turn around another day would pass, or another week, another month… another year. I lived in the outskirts of Berk, not able to cope with being too far from Hiccup. While I knew that he was safe, I couldn't risk being too far away if something were to happen.

I had moved on somewhat, well, as much as a flightless dragon could I suppose. The tail that Hiccup had mocked up for me didn't seem to last long. Although I never even bothered to see if it had _actually_ worked, the leather was destroyed beyond repair far quicker than intended. I knew that Hiccup would have graciously fixed the tailfin if I would have simply brought it to him, but he didn't deserve the burden of fixing another beings problems. It wasn't like I would have used it anyway.

I wanted to be angry. I wanted to hate him for leaving me, but all I could feel was sorrow. All I could feel was remorse for losing that one race. If I had won that one pointless race, none of this would have happened. In the end what hurt me the most was my desire for it to last longer. I thought our friendship would last forever.

I watched over the village from the cliffs high above. I was able to see nearly everything that went on from up there. When the village was caught in a war between neighboring tribes, I made sure that minimal destruction came about and that absolutely nothing would happen to Hiccup.

I was sure to keep myself out of sight. While the humans may have never seen me taking out their adversary, the word spread quickly about my assistance. The Berkians would exclaim about how they would have never survived if it wasn't for Berk's watchful shadow. I never heard any mention of Night Fury or the name that Hiccup had once given me, I assumed they thought that _Toothless_ was simply now part of history.

Each night I would pass by the village, mainly to make sure a certain boy made it home, but on the nights after the battles, men would gather and converse about who _really_ took out their enemy. I would usually just snort and continue on my way, but it was the nights that they would talk about hunting down their watchful shadow that I would stick around.

They knew that whoever or whatever I was, clearly I was not a threat to them. They were just worried that I could become a threat. It was eventually decided that so long they would try not to harm the being, it seemed to only benefit them to have it around.

The only person who seemed to notice that I, or _Berk's shadow_ , was continuously watching over them was Hiccup. He knew that something was always lurking over his shoulder. He would whip himself around and try and find whoever was behind him, only to sigh as the space was seemingly lifeless. While I didn't want the boy to know that I still watched his every move, my heart screamed for me to simply show myself.

Unfortunately the day came where my decision was made for me. Even while I couldn't physically follow Hiccup and his dragon in the sky, I knew of his secret hideaways throughout the island. I could get a good indication by which way they would fly to see where the duo was headed.

As I crested a small hill just on the edge of the forest, I could see who was once my human, playing harmlessly with his dragon. Being that the Dashwing was a quick and agile creature, he loved playing a sort of _fetch_ in which Hiccup had created just for him. The boy had a type of crossbow that shot out a large ball in which the dragon would immediately chase after.

This wasn't something I was jealous of, I would have been much more content to simply curl up around my human and watch as the sky changed its glorious display. Regrettably, I settled for observing the two from a distance as the day wore on.

I was nearly asleep when the snap of tree limb caught my attention. Instantly to my feet, I quickly scanned the area to locate the source of the disturbance. To my horror, the beast made his presence known.

Hiccup had just finished reloading his ball launcher and took aim out over the field as the beast made his move. Hiccup's Dashwing was battered to the ground as the Thunderfire ignited his scales. Hiccup was thrown from his feet as the Thunderfire's tail took his legs out from under him.

I roared in objection and fear as the wild dragon tore into the Dashwing's scales with his razor sharp claws, ripping flesh from the young dragons hide. The Thunderfire immediately ceased his movements, turning away from the whimpering Dashwing to face a more worthy opponent.

The aforementioned dragon was not one that was from these lands. His race tended to stay in the warmer climates that allowed him to keep his body temperature high. Unlike its closest relative, the Monstrous Nightmare, he was unable to survive when it was below the freezing point. He was clearly on a mission to find food, whether it was dragon or human.

I brought myself from the forest, showing myself to Hiccup for the first time in years. The boy seemed to gasp as he noticed the missing tailfin that had plagued me. I drew my attention from the human, I couldn't risk it. The beast before me was bred to kill. Even in my prime, I would struggle with him as my adversary. I didn't likely stand a chance against his superior size and his extensive claws. My only hope was for Hiccup to take this opportunity to mount his wounded dragon and escape to Berk.

The Thunderfire roared in anticipation. _You dare to take this sustenance from me Night Fury? You would be fortunate to last a quarrel with me if you could reach the sky, let alone in your present state. Leave now and I may allow you to live on._

I growled as I brought my tail behind me, hiding it from the beast. I may not have been in the best shape of my life, but I was certainly more determined than he could ever hope to be. I lunged at the dragon, sheathing my claws and preparing a blast within my throat. I managed to catch on his wing, tearing through its entire length, firing my blast at his body in the process.

The Thunderfire roared in pain and observed the damage. _Fool! With this I won't be able to fly for weeks!_

I snarled back, my claws digging into the ground below me. _Try living without it for seven years. I can assure that you would never survive._

He lit his scales and approached me slowly, backing me up towards Hiccup. _Why is it that you insist on protecting this miniscule slab of meat?_

I roared to him in a deafening manner, stopping him in his tracks. _The human is mine…. Or was_.

The dragon glanced between Hiccup and his Dashwing then back to me. _Ahh, now I understand, you are the reject. The human got bored of a_ _ **broken dragon**_ _who could no longer fly and simply left you to wither and die._

The creature was testing my patience, I leapt for his throat, ready to rip it from his neck and silence him for good. Unfortunately for me, this time he was prepared. He tossed me away and took his opportunity to strike. Scales were torn from my body, blood quickly flowing to replace them. I yelped in pain, trying to fight away the dragons flailing limbs.

I finally managed to escape his wrath, limping as I felt the fresh wound on my front ankle. The Thunderfire smirked, he knew he had the upper claw. I eclipsed the pain from my mind, I knew that I needed to defeat him in order to save Hiccup, I had no choice. I slowly began building a flame within my mouth, attempting to be discreet. The dragon roared in anger, ready to take the last bit of life that I was clinging onto.

The beast came at me again, thrashing his enormous claws in the process. I released the plasma that I built up to perfection, striking his side with incredible force. Scales were blasted from his hide and bones were shattered within. Although dragons were mostly fireproof, that didn't take away from the intensity of the blow.

He was back to his feet quickly, but now feeling the pain of my fire. His rage took the best of him and he charged back at me, eyes full of wrath. We tore at each other, each slash spilling more blood from the other. I clamped my maw around his throat and cut my teeth deep into his skin. With one final twist, I heard the snap of his neck and felt his body fall limp.

I let the corpse drop to my feet as I limped away in pain. After just a few feet, I collapsed on the ground, unable to proceed. The world seemed to spin as my hearing was reduced to a high pitched blare. I could see as Hiccup ran in front of me, the look of horror plastered on his face. It was to my relief though that he was up and able to move. He would live on for another day.

I could finally relax knowing that my human, yes, _my_ _human_ was safe. My blood loss had taken its toll, I could feel the darkness pulling me in; it was sending me to an eternal sleep. I was ready to _dream_ , it was so much better than the harshness of reality. I knew that it was hopeless to think I would survive, but as long as Hiccup could prevail, I could accept it.

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I awoke to sharp pain in my side, clenching in agony. I couldn't open my eyes; I was far too tired. It seemed impossible to simply take a breath of air. My head was spinning, making it challenging to concentrate. I listened as a door seemed to shut around me. I didn't know where I was, nor did I care. I had given my due. I just wanted to fall back to rest, to die peacefully.

It wasn't until I felt a familiar texture on my snout that I realized I wasn't dreaming. I took in a whiff of scent, trying to remember the fragrance. It was a strong, yet pleasant scent that was resting before me. It reminded me of so many memories, of places I've been, it was so familiar.

Finally it clicked in my head. I peeled my eyes open to make sure my theory was correct, and for once, I was pleasantly surprised. It was my human, my Hiccup. His thin frame managing to take up nearly all of my field of view. His arm was outstretched with his hand still resting on my snout. "Hey… Toothless."

I crooned to him in pain. Not just from my external wounds, but from my heart. After five years of being without my human, having been rejected for another being, I was finally back, finally home.

Being elevated on a table, I continued to observe him from above. He seemed to shake as he took a seat just in front of me. He shook his head and sighed. "You were Berk's Shadow." He paused as he looked over my body, the look of guilt coated his tear-swollen face. I couldn't see past my paws as it would have inflicted too much pain to turn, but from his reaction I knew that the injuries must have been appalling. The boy faced me once more. "Y- you were the one that was always looking over me. No one ever believed me, no one thought I was telling the truth about someone always being there….. After everything I did to you, a- after leaving you for someone else, you were still there to save me."

The boy looked down to his hands, a tear rolling off his cheek. "And to think…" The boy paused, his emotions tearing away at him. The boy looked up to me again. "You almost died…. After everything I did to you, after leaving you….. You were willing to continuously watch out for me, protect our village, and, despite all I did, you still were going to die for _me_!"

I winced slightly at the sudden outburst. He was truly sobbing now, angry with himself. The boy shook his head once more and sighed. "I…. I just don't know why you would do it. I just don't know what would make you even want to be anywhere near me. How could you be willing to die…. for me?"

 _Do you really not know how strongly I feel about you? You're my brother._ I warbled in the back of my throat, receiving his attention. I reached forward with my claw, taking every ounce of energy I had. The boy practically leapt forward, patting my paw with his soft hand. "No bud, you need to stay here."

I shook my head slightly, reaching my claw out once more. He stood for a moment, his eyes fixated on mine. The message seemed to get across as he fell into my embrace. I lowered my head over his back, purring in joy.

I had him back, and I was home; I had my human once more.

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###

Hiccup hurried his way out the door, me chasing after him enthusiastically. I was so enthralled by having the joy of being with my human once again. My pupils were nearly as wide as the irises that they covered, my tail thumped loudly as I leapt from the Haddock home and landed onto the ground next to the greatest human I had ever met.

He gave me a smile that was genuine, not one that was forced, not one that was mocking me, one that was truly _delighted_. I returned him my version of his smile that involved retracting each and every one of my teeth to reveal the pink gums that resided. Hiccup rolled his eyes and continued to give me a joyful grin. "Well aren't you in a good mood today."

I instantly twisted around and barked into the sky. He had no idea the joy that was flowing throughout my heart. He shook his head once more and brought his hands up to my jaw, scratching ever so slightly. "I think I know what it is."

 _Oh please_ … He would never be able to guess why he made me so happy. It wasn't just one reason, it was infinite. He nodded once more and gestured over to the arena. "You're so happy because you know that we are going to kick Astrid's butt in that speed competition."

 _Not even close-… Wait… What?_

He chuckled to himself slightly and shook his head. "She has been trying so hard to catch us it's not even funny. Well let me tell you Toothless, there is no way that chicken fed Nadder will ever catch the mighty Night Fury."

I couldn't grasp it in my mind, was he saying that they never _actually_ beat us? Hiccup turned and started sprinting for the arena. "Come on bud, I'll race you there!"

But I remained perfectly still. It was finally starting to click. None of it actually happened. I was right here before the speed contest; I hadn't yet lost to Astrid and Stormfly. Was everything that happened, a _dream_? Was it all really a nightmare?

My human stopped just a few yards away when he realized I wasn't chasing him. I was far too stunned to try and keep up with him. My mind was racing trying to figure out exactly how the situation was going to play out. _Should I?_ Should I have gone after him and live through the pain of losing my human? But I would still get him back in the end right?...

And that was it.

Even if I did go through all the pain and suffering, endure the abandonment of my human, nearly die for him, for a _hunch_? There was simply no guarantee. The only thing I knew was that if I went down to that ring, I would lose, and not only my title of the fastest dragon, but my title of _Hiccup's dragon_.

The boy stared at me with a confused face and gestured to the arena. "Ready to go bud?"

I wasn't.

I wasn't ready to endure that again, even if it were destined to come to me, I was still not ready. I had finally got back my human, and there was no way I was about to give him up over some meaningless contest. I looked up to the boy and shook my head, letting a desperate croon out along with it.

My human slowly came back to my side, worry taking over his excitement. "What's wrong bud? You _don't_ want to go to the arena?"

With the smallest indication, I shook my head, and just as in my dream, I reached up with one claw and pulled him close to me, lowering my head over his back. I could hold onto that second for rest of my life if he was willing. Purrs suddenly started emanating from within my chest, wanting this moment to go on forever. I guess he understood the gesture because he decided to wrap his arms around my neck and grasp as tightly as he could. "It's alright Toothless, we don't have to go down there if you don't want to."

A wave of relief washed over me, allowing me to breathe freely once more. After what had to be the longest hug that I ever shared with the boy, he slowly pulled away, resulting in a low croon from the back of my throat. As a few tears streamed down his face, he look up into my eyes. I could only assume that my eyes were the closest they could come to producing tears, as they reflected brilliantly in the sunlight.

The boy in front of me chuckled slightly as he wiped his face clear of the liquid. "Tell you what, bud. Today is going to be _your_ day. I'm going to let you take me wherever you want. We can fly for as long as you want and you can eat as much fish as you can handle."

With that, my joy had returned. I felt better than I had ever felt before. He had no idea what he had just said to me, what he had just given me. There was nothing more that I wanted than to spend a day with my Hiccup, on my terms.

I quickly started jumping in circles around my human, letting out barks and roars of delight. Once I came to rest with Hiccup at my side, I gestured for the boy to mount himself on my back. His smile returned and he rolled his eyes once more. "Well, apparently I just made someone's day."

He truly had no idea. My body was quaking in excitement. I knew of the exact place I wanted to fly to, the one place where we could have a day to ourselves, the one place that represented the birthplace of our friendship. The place where I could spend an eternity.

The boy seemed to drag out his movements for as long as humanly possible. _Come on you stubborn human! You're wasting precious time!_ It seemed that my persistence was finally starting to pay off because he finally managed to slide onto my saddle and click his foot into place. The click from his pedal gave me all the motivation I needed, we were instantly in the air and soaring towards my favorite place of all.

I think my human was a bit surprised when we arrived at the cove. He hesitantly stepped off and came to my front. "Is this the place you were so excited about coming to?"

I gave my human a short croon and a grin just before I coated his face in saliva. _The greatest place on earth._

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I finally lifted my eyelids to see that the sun was drifting downwards, putting an end to our glorious day. I glanced down to my side where Hiccup was leaning. He had a stick in his hand and was drawing a picture in the dirt, one of the two of us soaring through the clouds, completely secluded from the rest of the word. I keened to my human, letting him know I was awake once more. He paused his scribbling and looked over to me. "Feel better bud?"

You have no idea. I very simply nodded to him and crooned. He reached over and started to scratch that perfect spot beneath my chin; he knew how much I enjoyed him doing so. I purred to him, letting out reverberations that filled our cove.

The boy started giggling and suddenly pounced on me and began to scratch everywhere he could reach. I was helpless to do anything against him with the incredible feeling flowing through my body. I could have laid there for an eternity, but there was a sudden halt in my human's assault. I looked up to my human who was staring over at the five teens all perched on their dragons. "We are sooooo busted."

Astrid quickly demounted herself and hastily made her way over to Hiccup. "What the heck Hiccup? We've been at the ring all day doing exercises and practice laps waiting on you. This is where you have been all day!"

Hiccup reached up and rubbed the back of his neck, trying to avoid the situation. "Well, uhh, it was Toothless' idea."

He turned toward me and I gave him an unimpressed stare. Of course, just throw the dragon under the falling tree. He gave me an apologetic face and turned back to Astrid, who by now was fuming. "You really expect me to believe that a dragon has kept you here all day, while we have been working our butts off?"

Snotlout chanted from the back of his dragon and raised his sword high above his head. "Yeah! I had to watch over the twins because of you!"

Ruffnut and Tuffnut quickly hopped from their dragon to Hookfang, successfully knocking the boy off. Hiccup rolled his eyes and shrugged. "And what a marvelous job you did at that."

Astrid stepped in front of Hiccup's view to the twins and Snotlout and threw her hands in the air. "So why is it that you get to relax all day while we all have to work with all the dragons!?"

Suddenly all the teen's eyes were upon Hiccup as he nervously scooted closer to me. "Uhhh, well…."

He seemed to think for a moment then he looked over to me. A small smile came across his face and then he gave me a wink. "You know what, I think you're right."

"Of course I'm right, I'm always right." Tuffnut was quick to jump at his opportunity.

Hiccup rolled his eyes once more and shook his head. "No… I mean maybe you guys are right, maybe we all just need a break."

The teens seemed to consider this as Astrid gave Hiccup a questionable stare. "What?"

Hiccup smiled and started to rub my side gently, earning appreciated purrs from me of course. "Well, I've noticed that the dragons are much more willing to train with us if we spend a little quality time with them…. Alone."

Astrid shook her head and started to approach Hiccup, only stopping when I wrapped my wing around the boy. She seemed a bit surprised at first, but then she glanced back and forth between me and Hiccup. "So, when do you think we should be doing this 'quality time' with our dragons?"

Hiccup smiled and pushed down my wing. "Tomorrow. You have all worked pretty hard lately, well, mostly, and I think it's time we had a day with our dragons."

Astrid gestured to me and Hiccup and brought back her frustration. "Well what about you two? You both just took today off, what are you going to do then?"

Hiccup glanced back at me once again and winked again. "Well, since Toothless is a Night Fury, he requires much more attention, so I guess I'll just have to spend another day with him."

Astrid scoffed and returned to her dragon. "Whatever, but don't even begin to think that you can just take a day off whenever we are supposed to have a race."

The teens and their dragons quickly left the cove leaving me once again, alone with Hiccup. He was still staring off in the direction in which they had left. I reached over and licked the entire length of the back of his head. He instantly froze, cringing from the saliva. "After I just stuck my neck out for you?"

He glared at me in his frustration. It made it all better when I gave him an equally slobbery lick across his face. _And I greatly appreciate it._

After a few more moments he relaxed his face and smiled at me. "Yeah, well, I guess this was a pretty great day. I can live with this every now and then."

I gave him an unimpressed glare and snorted. He flinched as I gently slapped the back of his head with my tailfin. "Ok, ok…. It was an incredible day. I could do this _every_ day."

We took a few moments and simply stared into each other's eyes. He slowly reached up with his hand and I almost instantly pressed the edge of my snout into his palm, keeping eye contact throughout. After what seemed like an eternity, he fell into a hug around my neck. I crooned slightly and lowered my head onto his back. "I'll never leave you bud."

It was then that I realized it. My dream was nothing more than a dream. My human, my Hiccup; He would never abandon me, never leave me, never desert me, especially not over some foolish race. It was then that I realized he truly did love and value me as much as I loved and valued him.

And then I knew, my dream was worth it, everything I experienced was all worth it.

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AN: Well, after over a year in the making and many hours by multiple people, what do you think? I thought that a dragons dreams didn't necessarily have to be the same as a humans. I decided that their minds could fall into a much more literal sense where even pain can be accurately simulated. I know it's not perfect, but after getting the idea and thinking it over, I couldn't help but want to make it into a story.

Shout out to Modest Dragon and OnyxDragonX, they were an incredible help on this and the story wouldn't have been the same without them.

I am marking this complete because I'm not really sure where I could go with it, but if I were to find a plot and this story seems to need a second part, then I will try my best.

Thanks for the read and I hope you enjoyed. Don't forget to review!


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